Diving into the unknown with an open mind seems to have worked for the Philly Temps and Perm Employee of the Month for July 2019, Courtney L.

A BS in Marketing from Penn State led Courtney to a Digital Marketing Campaign for a boutique hotel in New Orleans and a stint as an Engagement Coordinator for a community Farm in San Jose before bringing her to Philadelphia.

Philly Temps is glad she made the journey. You can read more about Courtney here:

Philly Temps (PT): How long have you lived in the Philadelphia, PA area?

Courtney L (CL): After graduating from Penn State University last May, I decided to move in with my sister Kaitlyn. I officially made the move in the Fall so I’ve been here for about 9 months now. My family lives in California so I have had a lot to get used to living in the City. I love walking everywhere!

PT: What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

CL: I enjoy spending time outdoors: hiking, kayaking, swimming, just being around nature and near any body of water. I am also an avid yogi — I especially enjoy going to hot yoga even in the summer, but man it’s hot! All in all, I try to spend my free time enjoying life to the fullest by learning new skills, as well as, traveling and immersing myself in new cultures. I really hope to travel more in the future!

PT: How did you hear about Philly Temps?

CL: I heard about Philly Temps after searching for temp agencies on Google, actually. My mom was a big advocate for using a temp agency especially being from out of state and not knowing many people in the city. Ultimately she urged me to apply. She said she had a “good feeling” about it, I finally listened to her and applied. Then Stef reached out for an interview and got me my current job. I guess my mom was right about that feeling!

PT: What was your work experience prior to working with Philly Temps?

CL: I did not have a lot of professional work experience prior to working with Philly Temps. The summer after my junior year in college I completed an internship with an organization called Veggielution in my home town San Jose, CA. Also, I worked as a barista at Starbucks after graduating from college. However, my lack of professional experience made finding a job difficult, but Philly Temps filled that void. Stef said my skills were strong and promised to find me an opportunity with room to grow. I can say she definitely

CL: One of my most memorable experiences would have to be when Stef showed up at our office on administrative appreciation day with cookies for all the employees. The gesture was extremely thoughtful and made me thankful to be working for Philly Temps. Working with Philly Temps allows me to step outside my comfort zone and embrace a completely new industry.

PT: What are your long-term career goals?

CL: As I gain more experience, I realize how strong my interpersonal and problem-solving skills are. I can see myself working as a project manager coming up with creative and innovative solutions to solve customer problems. I have always bee

n good at gathering research, interpreting data, and collaborating to come up with the best options. In order to reach this goal, I need to continue to grow my work portfolio by engaging in diverse, interesting projects that showcase my ability to adapt. Through my time with Philly Temps and The Altitude Group, I now have the confidence to pursue greater career opportunities.

PT: What advice can you give to prospective candidates that want to work with Philly Temps?

CL: Do not let fear hold you back and embrace the unknown! In the words of every finance person out there, “the higher the risk, the higher the reward.” Honestly, it’s true. I was afraid to work with Philly Temps at first. I could not stop thinking what if I do not like the job — or what if it is not the right fit for me? The employees at Philly Temps take the time to listen to you and your goals, they evaluate your strengths, and as long as your honest with them they will find a position that fits what you are looking for. Yes, starting at a new job can be scary, but remember Philly Temps has your back no matter what!

Honestly, I started my current job knowing very little about the company, but I put my faith in Stef and Philly Temps and I know I made the right choice.

Because Philly Temps Staff is the best in the city, selecting just one employee to showcase each month is a challenge, but we know that our Employee of the Month for December 2016, Josh P. is worthy of the distinction.

Although Josh is one of our most reserved employees, don’t let the soft spoken tone fool you. His Diligence, Professionalism, Abilities and Customer Service Skills are easily understood.

From his assignments doing Data Entry, Reception and Mail Room to his time registering Convention Attendees and Greeting the Olympic Teams at the Airport, Josh has represented Philly Temps and our clients superbly.

Thank you for all of your hard work Josh, and thank you for answering the questions that help us to know you just a little better!

PhillyTemps (PT): How long have you lived in the Philadelphia, PA area?

Josh P. (JP): I first came to Philadelphia in 2011 to attend college. After a few years of splitting my time between the city and my hometown in Lancaster County, I finally settled in Philadelphia in 2014.

PT: How did you hear about Philly Temps?

JP: I was looking around for entry-level clerical work shortly after graduating from college. Some searching online led me to Philly Temps.

PT: What is your previous work experience?

JP: When I’m not working at events or in offices for Philly Temps, I’m an annotator at a linguistic research lab, which essentially means I’m doing much of the grunt work on research projects.

PT: What are your long term career goals?

JP: I intend to pursue a master’s degree in either library science or museum studies and eventually find work in, you guessed it, a library or a museum.

PT: What is your life like outside of work? What are your hobbies? Are you involved in your community?

JP: I play drums in a few bands and have a studio where my band-mates and I help singer-songwriters record their songs with a band behind them. I spend my “off” time writing and recording music and touring around the country.

PT: How has working as a temp been helpful to you?

JP: Working as a temp has given me some unique work experience, but has also allowed me to pursue other hobbies and interests that I don’t receive a paycheck for.

PT: Has working as a temp changed your mind about your long term career goals? Inspired you in any way? Motivated to achieve more?

JP: My temp work has mostly shown me that I’m capable of much more than I typically give myself credit for. I started working for Philly Temps with a very small comfort zone, and while that may not have grown substantially, I have learned that stepping outside of it is an exhilarating and fulfilling experience.

JP: It’s going to be tough to top working for the Democratic National Convention. I met a lot of interesting people, did many things that I couldn’t have imagined myself doing before, and worked harder in that week than I had in a long time. At the end of it, I was thoroughly exhausted, but very proud of what I’d been able to accomplish.